Says Willamette Week Story Further Reveals Hoyle has Disqualified Herself from Public Service, Reasons for Federal Investigation Uncovered
Eugene, OR — Today, Oregon Fourth Congressional District Candidate Monique DeSpain reacted to an investigative news report published by the Willamette Week laying out troubling text message exchanges between Rosa Cazares, then CEO of the corrupt cannabis company La Mota, and then BOLI Commissioner Val Hoyle. The story detailed an inappropriately close pay-to-play relationship between the head of a state agency responsible for overseeing an employer that was facing dozens of worker complaints and owed hundreds of thousands of unpaid taxes while seeking federally-funded grants for its non-profit ENDVR.
“These text exchanges are damning evidence that Congresswoman Hoyle was engaging in grossly unethical and likely illegal conduct by using undue influence to dole out favors and ignore the rules to help her corrupt friends at La Mota evade accountability and illegally feed at the public trough,” stated DeSpain. “How can we be certain our Congresswoman is not continuing to conduct herself in this way? As I said on day one of my campaign, Val Hoyle has disqualified herself from serving in public office. She hid the truth about her misconduct from voters in 2022, concealed public records in 2023, and now the truth has caught up with her. For the sake of the Fourth District, she must immediately resign from Congress so the rest of us can get back to solving the very real problems facing regular, hardworking Oregonians.”
In mid-February, the Willamette Week reported that Federal Investigators had expanded their current investigation into La Mota and ex-Secretary of State Shemia Fagan to include Congresswoman Val Hoyle’s $500,000 grant to La Mota’s non-profit while leading BOLI. A subpoena was issued just five days after DeSpain’s January 24th press conference launching WhatsValHiding.com and her letter to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Natalie K. Wight, calling on Ms. Wight to expand her investigation to include Hoyle and her activities. DeSpain rightfully took credit for drawing public and law enforcement attention to the glaring pattern of corruption exhibited by Hoyle’s words and actions by urging the U.S. Attorney to investigate Hoyle.
In April, a story published by the national news outlet The Daily Beast stated that the U.S. Attorney’s office had confirmed Val Hoyle was under federal investigation and, according to publicized emails, Hoyle:
“Thank goodness the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Val Hoyle’s communications with La Mota. The scam and cover-up are over. It’s time for Val to put her constituents first and exit public service so she can devote her time to consulting with her lawyers and prepare her defense without handing her legal expenses to campaign donors,” added DeSpain.
“As a retired Air Force Colonel who conducted investigations in the JAG Corps for 20 years, I will hold our government accountable, starting with Val Hoyle. That’s why I’m asking the voters to deploy me to Congress this November to bring my independent voice and deliver bold, commonsense solutions for the Fourth District.”
This past May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “Frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents, a powerful sign of Hoyle’s weakness versus the strong challenge being offered by GOP nominee DeSpain. Last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) named Monique DeSpain to their Young Guns Program, recognizing her campaign as one of the best in the country and making OR-04 a key flip opportunity for national Republicans. DeSpain has challenged Hoyle to six debates in six counties in the 4th District, to which Hoyle has so far failed to agree.
Monique DeSpain is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, mother of twin boys, and public policy advocate who resides in Eugene, Oregon. She is the Republican nominee for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, running to unseat incumbent Congresswoman Val Hoyle in 2024 and bring about a safer, more prosperous Oregon. Her campaign website is www.MoniqueForCongress.com
To arrange a candidate interview or obtain additional information about her campaign, please contact the Communications Director, Kevin Hoar, at press@moniqueforcongress.com or call 541-321-6095.